Say it Isn't So
by heavenly-vixen
Summary: **Updated** MM: Tag to Season 2 Episode "How the other half Lives" with references to "The End of the World" Maria and Michael make a connection one night and past indiscretions re-surface. ~~Complete~~
1. Default Chapter

Title: Say It Isn't So  
Author: heavenly-vixen  
Email: team_x_4eva@hotmail.com  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: My words only.  
Summary: Tag to Season 2 Episode "How the other half Lives" with references to "The End of the World" Maria and Michael make a connection one night and past indiscretions re-surface.  
  
Michael fell down on the bed. The room was huge, along with every other room in the mansion. Spending time in the world of power and wealth was definitely fun but Michael couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness the house seemed to radiate. It was clear to anyone who stepped through the doors; the vibes were so strong they couldn't be ignored. The door creaking open brought him out of his thoughts and instinctively he jumped up, hand held high, ready to attack. When Michael saw the flash of blonde, curly hair he lowered his hand immediately.  
"What are you doing? You scared the hell out of me, I almost blasted you"   
"I'm sorry, I'll leave" Maria replied sheepishly.   
"No, don't leave, sorry, you caught me off guard" Maria looked at him. Michael was only wearing boxer shorts and a wife beater. He looked cute, and unbelievably sexy.   
"What's wrong Maria?" God how she loved the way he said her name.  
"I just kinda got freaked out on my own, do you mind… if I stay here tonight?" She asked cautiously. Maria really didn't feel like fighting tonight. She was so tired, tired of all the fighting, it was all they seemed to do anymore. No longer did they have moments of tenderness they used to share. It was all a distant memory; at least she hoped it wasn't.  
  
Michael nodded his head slowly. For the first time since she entered the room he took in her appearance. There his little pixie stood clad in the tiniest pair of baby blue shorts he'd ever seen, with a matching singlet and a light cotton robe hanging, open, off her shoulders. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders in soft curls and Michael could swear, at that moment she had a halo, magnified by the moon shining through the windows and illuminating her skin to give the appearance that she was glowing. She was beautiful and he was in awe. He couldn't help the small smile that tug at his lips. Maria let her eyes wander to his face, she'd been avoiding it, afraid she'd see rejection etched across his strong features but was surprised to see a slight smile. She smiled back, the connotations of that grin raising questions.  
"What?" She only made him smile more. Michael shook his head slowly.  
"Nothing" He spoke so softly, Maria hadn't heard him speak that softly in a long time.  
"I'm tired, do you mind if we go to sleep?" Maria shook her head, truth be told she was spent. Michael pulled the covers back on the fittingly gigantic bed and climbed in. Maria watched.  
"Well?… Are you going to sleep standing up?" Maria smiled and joined him under the covers. It was a little awkward at first; it had been a long time since she'd shared a bed with Michael. Well actually she'd only ever shared a bed with him once. Sure they'd slept beside each other in that cheap motel in Marathon, but he was on the floor, and the Jetta didn't exactly count. Finally she rolled onto her side and felt Michael slip his arm around her waist, pulling her close to his chest.   
  
They lay spooned against each other, Michael's head buried in the crook of her neck.   
"I so am getting a big ass bed like this one day" She felt him smile against her neck.  
"Yeah? I'll have to try it out with you" His breath on her neck caused a pleasant shiver through her body. Maria felt his lips brush a light kiss against her neck and drifted off. Maria opened her eyes and found herself staring though the window of Michael's apartment. He was sitting at the counter eating and watching TV. There was a knock at the door, Michael stood and answered it. What was a very angry Alex walked through the door. Maria had never seen him like that. She leaned closer trying to hear what they were saying.   
MICHAEL: What's up?   
ALEX: Nothing. Nothing at all.   
MICHAEL: Well, I was kinda watching the game, so if you got something on your mind...   
  
Maria watched as a determined Alex grabbed the remote and switched the TV off.   
  
"ALEX: Do you have any idea what you've done to Maria?   
MICHAEL: Dude, it was a misunderstanding.   
ALEX: Look. I don't care that you've got 30 pounds on me or...or that you can kill me with some...some twisted alien power. I will not let you treat her like that. I...I don't care that Isabel treats me like crap, but no one does that to Maria, all right? She's not just some girl!   
MICHAEL: You gotta believe me...I have nothing..."  
  
Courtney knocked at the door and Maria found herself wanting to leap through the closed window and rip her throat out. But something remained, was this what happened that night or was this just a dream. It felt too real to be a dream. Maria watched, her breath stuck in her throat as Alex punched Michael. Now she knew it was real. Alex had bruises on his knuckles the next day but refused to tell her what had happened, that she remembered. This must be real.  
  
"ALEX: Ow!   
MICHAEL: You realize you just risked your life?   
ALEX: Yeah.   
MICHAEL: You're a really good friend, man.   
ALEX: Call me that again, and I'll really kick your ass."  
  
Alex turned to leave, Maria couldn't help but feel a little good. Alex had done that for her, but what she saw next certainly didn't.  
  
COURTNEY: Are you ok?   
MICHAEL: Yeah. I'm fine.   
  
Michael and Courtney started making out. Maria watched on, mouth agape, her heart ripping into pieces. She knew that something had happened, but that part of herself that instinctively stopped her from thinking about that stuff had shielded her from the possibilities. Now here it was, as she looked in on Michaels memory, the cold had truth and there was no where to run. She watched as Michael reached around and started pulling Courtney's top up, Maria was having trouble breathing. She couldn't watch, yet she couldn't look away. She watched as he pulled a part of her skin off and looked at it in shock.  
  
MICHAEL: You're a skin? Stop!  
  
Courtney turned and ran, straight towards her, Maria started to back away. As Courtney crashed through the window Maria woke up with a start, breathing heavily. Immediately she started to cry but her sudden movements woke up Michael.   
"What? What's going on?" His half asleep voice rang through her ears and she realised how close she was to him. She jumped away from him like he was fire. Maria took a few steps back, breathing even heavier she stared at him in shock. Michael watched her confused. Fear rushed through his body. What was going on? Why was Maria acting this way? He stood up and took a step towards her.  
"Maria? What's wrong?" He asked cautiously, he slowly took a few more steps towards her. When he was close enough, he reached out and took her hand. Maria pulled it away quickly and choked out between sobs. "Don't touch me" Maria started to back away from Michael. Every step he took towards her, she took one back. She looked at him with so much pain in her eyes. Tears streamed down her face, not a sound coming out of her open mouth. All she did was stare at him and back away. Michael tried to get closer, but Maria continued to back away, shaking her head, along with her body uncontrollably. She looked terrified, hurt, angry, everything all rolled into one quivering mass. Michael looked on, the worry building inside him fast. How could he help her if she didn't let him near her?  
"Maria… what's wrong? Please tell me" he pleaded with her.   
"H. How c.could you do this t.to me?" She stuttered out. Maria saw the stupid confused look on his face and actually wanted to laugh. She calmed down enough to say what she needed to say.  
  
"I caught you, but I still didn't want to believe it. I couldn't believe it. I mean, how could someone I love so much, hurt me like that? How could you hurt me like that? All the while telling me over and over that nothing happened, did you think you could keep this from me?" Michael continued to watch and listen to her confused as the tears streamed down her face.  
"How far did you get Michael?" He used to like the sound of his name on her lips, but now it was said with so much pain and anger that it sounded horrible.  
"Did she give you what I wouldn't? Did you F*CK her?" Realization dawned on him, Courtney.  
"Maria…" He shook his head but she cut him off.  
"I don't understand it. You were supposed to love me… But it was all a lie, it was nothing"   
"No" He couldn't believe she would think that.  
"I can't believe I fell for it. I always thought I'd be smarter than that. So much for that, I guess I proved that I am an airhead… you still didn't answer me… did you f*ck her? Don't lie to me"  
"Maria… No! Of course not, nothing happened at all" Maria closed her eyes as she shook her head at him. When she re-opened her eyes more and more tears fell.  
"I SAW you Michael, I saw you" Maria noticed the confused look on his face.  
"The one time you actually let me in, I see that, better now I guess, than…" She never finished what she was saying, a sob tore through her body and a tortured cry left her lips. Michael thought he'd die at the sound. Maria's body sank to the floor. Michael tried to discern what she was saying, and then it hit him.  
  
When they drifted off to sleep they had made a connection. Maria had seen the memory, the scene had played out right in front of her eyes. Michael slowly took a step towards her, she didn't move she he rushed to her side. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she violently shrugged away from him. She lifted her head to look at him.  
"Don't EVER touch me again" Michael pulled his hand away and looked down. He looked back into her eyes a moment later, and saw a flash of anger.   
"I would have done ANYTHING for you, anything"   
"Please Ria, let me explain" She looked at him for a moment and nodded once.  
"I was never with her" Her eyes widened.  
"How can you look at me, and lie like that?" Michael shook his head.  
"I was with you… I really thought there was something up with her. Then you said that thing about her wanting in my pants" Maria cut in  
"Oh so now it's my fault" Michael shook his head again.  
"No, I mean, you said that, and I thought that if I lead her to believe she'd get what she wanted I'd find out what her deal was. Every second I was with her, I was thinking about you"   
"You don't actually expect me to believe that, do you?"   
"It's the truth. There's no one else Maria, only you"  
"How far would you have gone? I saw you raising her shirt, just before you pealed her skin off. How far would you have gone if you hadn't discovered she was a skin?" Michael didn't know the answer to that himself. His silence was not a good move. Maria nodded her head, stood up and turned to leave the room. Michael stood after her.  
"Maria" She raised her hand to silence him. She grabbed her robe, slipped it on and opened the door. She ran from the room.   
"Maria, wait please" Michael ran after her. He caught up to her, he grabbed her and whirled her around to look at him. The tears were streaming down her face, her body shaking as sobs wracked through her body but he didn't even notice.   
"You have to listen to me" he held her tighter and slightly shook her. Maria's tears turned from heartbreak to fear. He was scaring the hell out of her. She'd never really been scared of him until this moment and he didn't even notice.   
"Everything I have done over the past year has been to protect you" he yelled at her and slightly shook her after every third word.   
"Why would that change now? I thought she was a danger, I had to protect you" When she didn't bite back at him for that comment, Michael realized what he was doing and immediately loosened his grip on her. His face softened and he now held her gently. Maria stood completely still, terrified. "Oh god" was all that left his mouth as he pulled her into his arms.  
"I'm so sorry Maria, I'm so sorry. You have to believe me. I'm so sorry. Please Maria, I would never intentionally hurt you, you have to know that, I love you" Maria stood perfectly still, Michael's arms around her. Sensing her discomfort, he pulled away. Looking into her eyes he saw something he'd never seen from Maria, mistrust. They were times when her demeanour projected this, but never her eyes.   
"Maria… I promise you, it was NOTHING" He emphasized the word. She saw the truth in his eyes, but her heart was still broken. It was going to take more then words to earn her trust back.  
"I'm going to bed" Her face was completely void of all expression. Michael watched as she turned and walked towards her room. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair and sighed aloud.   
  
"What's wrong?" Michael turned towards the voice coming from behind him….  
  
TBC 


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Say It Isn't So  
Author: heavenly-vixen  
Email: team_x_4eva@hotmail.com  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: My words only.  
Summary: Tag to Season 2 Episode "How the other half Lives" with references to "The End of the World" Maria and Michael make a connection one night and past indiscretions re-surface.  
  
"What's wrong?" Michael turned towards the voice coming from behind him, Laurie.  
"Nothing, just an old fight" Laurie however had heard everything. The yelling had woken her.  
"You cheated on her" it was more of a statement than a question. Michael looked down.  
"Sort of. I didn't sleep with the girl, just…" he trailed off, he didn't need to finish. Laurie nodded. She knew there was something behind this, more than what she heard.  
"Wanna talk about it?" Michael shook his head no. "Well, too bad, we are." Michael smiled.  
"Ok. Where do you want me to begin?"  
"How about the beginning". The two talked, Michael told her everything, minus the alien parts.   
  
"So what you're telling me is that you and this girl didn't mean anything?"  
"Yeah, exactly."  
"But were you and Maria together at the time?" Michael nodded. "And she caught you" again Michael nodded, there was nothing else he could do. "Bad form Michael"  
"I know, but it wasn't recently, I thought she was over it"  
"Michael, she will never be over it. You cheated on her. Whether the girl meant anything, or there was extenuating circumstances or whatever. You and Maria were together and you cheated on her. How is she ever supposed to get over that?" Michael looked away from her; he couldn't meet her gaze. She was right, of course she was, but how was he supposed to make this right. He's not the kind of guy that talks about his feelings or opens up. He's a soldier, a stonewall and for the first time as he repeated it in his mind, those words sounded so ridiculous.  
"What started this up again anyway?" Laurie asked after several minutes of intense silence.   
"That too is complicated" Laurie looked at him.  
"There is still one question I have for you Michael"  
"Really? What's that?" He said rather sarcastically.  
"What are you doing here with me?" He looked at her confused, so she continued. "Why aren't you in there with Maria making this right?" He looked down ashamed.  
"I don't know how" he whispered, Laurie barely heard him.  
"Yes you do… G'night" With that, she turned and walked away. Michael looked towards the direction of Maria's room. A light beamed from under her door, and as he made his way closer he could hear her crying.   
  
Michael knocked slightly. It was enough, she heard, and she hesitated, he could tell by the silence.  
"Go away Michael" Her voice was raspy with tears.  
"No" was all he said. It had the desired effect. It got her mad. Maria stomped over to the door and swung it open. Immediately she glared at him and started yelling.  
"No? NO… You BASTARD! Stay. The. Hell. Away. From. Me" She pronounced every word. She was really fuming. This was going to be hard.  
"No, Maria we have to talk"  
"Talk? Mr. Stonewall, cone of silence Guerin wants to talk. Wait, let me call Guinness this is one for the record books." She turned around as the sarcastic words fell from her mouth.  
"I'm sorry" He whispered, although she heard that too.  
"Sorry? Woah, is the world coming to an end? First you want to talk, now you're sorry. Guinness is going to have a field day." Michael rolled his eyes and walked towards her closing the door.  
"Listen to me damn it!" He yelled then composed himself.  
"You wanna talk? Talk Michael" She sat down and waited.  
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry that all the alien crap and me came into your life, I'm sorry I kissed you and ruined your life. I'm sorry I walked away and hurt you, I'm sorry for Courtney, damn it I'm just sorry. But I can't take it back; there is nothing I can do about it. Even with all my alien voodoo crap, I can't make it so it never happened, I can't go back and stop myself from hurting you. And believe me I never wanted to." Maria stared at him in shock, either that was incredibly sweet or incredibly insulting. Which, she was still trying to decide.  
"Are you saying you regret us, me?" Michael sighed.  
"I'm saying I regret hurting you… God, I'm not good at this touchy feely, emotions thing."  
"Well, you're not doing too bad at the moment Spaceboy" There it was, there was a glimmer of hope as long as she was still calling him Spaceboy.   
"Yeah?" However he was still sceptical.  
"Yeah, but don't think that I'm just going to forget or that it's going to stop hurting anytime soon. Because it won't, I won't. Whether you meant to or not, you hurt me… and in the worst possible way." She choked out the last word. Michael moved to sit beside her. Carefully he put his arm around her, drawing her in closer. He lightly placed a kiss on her forehead.  
  
Maria finally stopped crying and she pulled away. Michael's glimmer of hope that had returned just flew away. She still didn't want him to touch her. Michael stood up slowly.  
"I'll leave" was all he said as he turned towards the door.  
"Michael, wait" He stopped at the door and turned to face her. "Did you feel anything for her, at all? Did you want her?" Michael looked her dead in the eyes.  
"No" was his simple reply.  
"What about me?"  
"What?" He was confused again; she could always confuse him.  
"Did you love me? Did you want me? Do you still?" She spoke with fear. Fear of his answer.  
"Always" It was a simple reply. One word, but it meant so much; especially from a person who could never open up, who could never admit to his feelings, one word said it all. Before Maria knew what was happening, Michael had closed the gap between them, his hands coming up to cup her face. He looked into her eyes, before gently brushing his lips over hers.   
  
When he felt her respond Michael deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue over her lips. Maria opened her mouth, allowing him access to give her what would prove to be the best kiss of her life. It was mind blowing. They pulled apart gasping for air and Michael pulled Maria into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his went around her waist. They stayed like that for a moment, just holding onto one another.  
"It's late, we should try and get some sleep." Maria nodded against his shoulder.  
"You know to do that you're going to have to let go Maria" She nodded again but made no effort to release him, nor did he her. Finally however they released each other. Michael grabbed her hand in his.   
"Good night." He turned to leave but Maria didn't let go of his hand. He was forced to stop and turn back to her.  
"Stay with me? I don't want to be alone, these rooms are kinda creepy" Michael grinned. He walked towards the bed, her hand still in his and pulled the covers back. They climbed in; Michael wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her in close. They relaxed, and just as Michael was about to drift into a peaceful sleep with his Maria in his arms her voice lulled him back to reality.  
"Oh by the way, Alex really wailed you one" She smiled and giggled lightly. Michael poked her lightly. "Ha Ha Maria" It only caused her to giggle more. Michael kissed her neck and she immediately stopped giggling and just enjoyed the moment, a moment she found herself envisioning experiencing every night for the rest of her life. As scary as that could be she ignored the fear, along with the alien beside her who was thinking the very same thing. The two fell asleep in each other's arms.   
  
The End??  
COMING SOON! - I am writing a lot more Roswell - MM fics, so look out for them. :) Please review! Pretty Please! 


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